Who We Were
by AngelsAndApplePies
Summary: It's been 1200 years since the last of Merlin's friends died, and Merlin is beginning to lose hope in Arthur's return. Then he comes to Hogwarts in 1990. Now, Merlin has to get ready to help Arthur achieve his destiny, but that's not all; the time is nearing for Harry Potter to come to Hogwarts as well.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So I know I said I was on a Percy Jackson streak...and I still am. But then I finished Merlin...and, well, I had to write something for it. So here it is. And a very Happy 35th Birthday to Harry James Potter!**

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 ** _Disclaimer:_ I do not own Harry Potter or Merlin. If I did, there would be a book about the Marauders school years, and Merlin would have another season.**

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 _ **IMPORTANT PLOT NOTE:  
The only changes to Harry Potter canon (pre-Sorcerer's Stone) and Merlin canon are:  
**_ _ **1\. The events of Merlin and the founding of Hogwarts both took place in the eighth century  
**_ _ **2\. Fudge was never Minister of Magic  
**_ _ **3\. Several pure-blood families may have more children than in canon  
**_ _ **4\. Merlin is in a cycle of constant reincarnations where he retains his memory, as opposed to the immortality he achieves in canon.**_

 _ **These changes were made for sake of the plot and will play a somewhat major role in the progression of said plot.**_

 _ **Spoilers:**_ **All 5 Seasons of Merlin and All 7 Harry Potter Books**

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The story of Arthur Pendragon was known by both muggles and wizards alike. Despite minor differences between the two stories, there was one huge similarity.

Arthur Pendragon was fated to return.

Most believed it to be a story, however, there was at least one being who was anxiously awaiting the return of the Once and Future King, and he was currently sitting on the Hogwarts express, about to begin his first year.

Again.

Not that Merlin minded. Hogwarts, even now, was the only place that felt like home. Or at least, as close to home as it could be after Camelot. It might have been almost a millennium, but to Merlin, the memories were as painful as if they had happened yesterday. He lived each life trying to escape the memories, never moving on. Because Arthur and the knights would return. They had to. It was the only thing that kept Merlin going at points; the knowledge that one day, one lifetime, he would once more be at Arthur's side, protecting him and helping him to unite Albion.

But for now, he was Merlin Emrys, just a boy with far too much knowledge and magic to be considered normal. He was also a boy who, although he had been sorted numerous times before in different lives, was very, very nervous about what house he would end up in.

And it was all because of Mike. Or at least, mostly. The idiot had been sorted into Slytherin last year. Which wasn't necessarily a bad thing...except for the fact that Slytherin was currently very anti-muggleborn (which Mike was and Merlin nearly was, in this life) and full of Death Eater spawn and Dark Lord supporters. Merlin had sworn loyalty to Voldemort in his last life, something he normally never would have done, and had ended up being killed, but not before uncovering some very handy information which he might put to use in this life….especially since Harry Potter would be in the year below him, if Merlin's memory was correct (which it almost always was). However being back in Voldemort's circle was not an experience he was eager to repeat, since the Dark Magic had made his skin crawl. Between that and his blood status, Merlin was more than glad to give Slytherin a wide berth. And he would have. If it wasn't for Mike.

"Are you actually nervous?" Mike's voice sliced through his thoughts, and Merlin just sighed. He turned away from the window to look at Mike. His sandy hair was untamed, and since he hadn't put his robes on yet, Merlin could almost pretend that they were back at home, safe from prejudice and impending wars.

"Don't be a prat." Merlin said, feeling his heart clench at the word. "Of course I'm not nervous. I just want to get there already. Why does the train ride have to be so long?"

"We're almost there, Merlin. Just relax. Everything will be fine, you'll see. Just hope that you don't get stuck rooming with a bunch of stuck-up, spoiled purebloods." Mike said with a roll of his eyes. "They're insufferable."

Merlin let out a short laugh. "They can't be all bad."

Mike just gave him a look. "They are. They only care about themselves, and the biggest problems they have is which pair of custom made robes to wear or which country manor they're going to over the Christmas holidays. They don't know what it's like to grow up poor and struggling in London, and they don't care either. They look down on people like us, Merlin. That's why we have to stick together."

Merlin just sighed. It wasn't the first time that he had heard such a rant, and it probably wouldn't be the last. Mike was his best friend, but he could be just as prejudiced as those he proclaimed to hate. It was a vicious cycle. And it led back to his previous dilemma.

If he allowed himself to end up in Slytherin with Mike, he would probably end up with few other friends, and few opportunities. He could also end up coming to the attention of Voldemort much easier when he returned, as Merlin knew he would. But if he didn't go to Slytherin with Mike, he would likely befriend people of all blood status and social classes, which would drive a rift between him and the closest friend he'd had in a long time.

It was only when Mike coughed pointedly that Merlin realized he had never responded. He gave a sheepish smile, but before he could reply, Mike just rolled his eyes and said, "Change into your robes."

As he put on his plain black robes and Mike put on his that were trimmed with Slytherin green, Merlin let his brain wander to the few friends and family members he had left at the time of his death. He wondered what they were up to...or even if they were still alive. Most had been marked and were serving the Dark Lord, although he had been casual acquaintances with some who had chosen the light. Some were probably in prison, while others, such as Lucius Malfoy, had walked free. He had secretly hated Lucius, and had been very upset to learn that he was capable of fathering children. Merlin remembered the girl being born about a year or so before his death, and another child on the way. But it was nothing to the disgust at the fact that Bellatrix had been able to conceive. He wondered what had happened to the child...she would be about his age, in fact…

Merlin had no more time to dwell on Death Eaters and their spawn, however, as at that moment, the train pulled to a stop outside Hogsmeade. Merlin and Mike both climbed off the train, and Merlin made his way towards the boats. He let a smile flit across his face when he heard Hagrid's voice calling all the first years. It was good to be home.

He climbed into a boat that contained two girls and a boy. He just gave them a slight nod before tuning out their conversation. They obviously all knew each other, and while normally Merlin might make an effort to insert himself into the conversation, he had too much to think about.

 _Slytherin or not Slytherin_. Politics or peace. Friendship or freedom.

Merlin still didn't know.

It was then that Merlin heard a gasp from one of the girls, and looked up to see the traditional "first sight" of the castle. As Hogwarts had changed very little since first being built, the novelty of the view had worn off. However, Merlin had to admit, it was still beautiful. And it was home. He could feel some of the tension leaving his body, and for the first time in a while, Merlin felt that everything would be okay.

Thankfully, the trip to the castle passed quickly. Although Merlin may have been dreading the sorting, he was excited to eat. He hadn't eaten much of anything since breakfast, and while Merlin was used to that, seeing as money was tight, that didn't mean that he wasn't starving. And seeing as the Hogwarts start of term feast was one to look forward to even when he was well fed...well, let's just say he hoped that there weren't too many first years that needed to be sorted.

Hagrid led them out of the boats and into the Entrance Hall, where they were greeted by Professor McGonagall. Merlin smiled slightly at seeing her again, as even though she had been Head of Gryffindor while he was a Slytherin, she had been one of his favorite teachers. After she gave her customary speech she walked away, and Merlin used that time to observe his new classmates.

The class was on the smaller side, just as he had hoped. Although Merlin figured he should have expected it, seeing as they were born during a war. His eyes swept over the group, seeing some huddled together while the rest were standing around one figure who was preaching to everyone.

"Well you see, my father told me all about the sorting." The boy said arrogantly, and Merlin's first thought was that the boy _had_ to be Lucius' son. The thought brought a smirk to his face, before it was slowly wiped away by the realization that Lucius didn't have a child in Merlin's year. The boy also didn't have the right coloring. His hair, although blond, was too dark and his skin too tan. Merlin rolled his eyes. He just hoped he didn't have to share a dorm with the boy.

The boy's eyes narrowed, and Merlin prepared himself for an argument, but just then, McGonagall walked back in the room. Merlin didn't think he had ever been so happy to see her (except maybe that one time when a duel broke out over blood purity, but that was another story. She sternly glanced over at the boy. "I will not stand for any arguments, especially not before the feast starts. Now follow me. It's time for all of you to be started."

Without another word (although that one kid shot him a glare), the first year students followed the Deputy Headmistress into the Great Hall. Chatter broke out amongst many of the first year students, but Merlin didn't join in. For one, he didn't have anyone to talk to, and for another, he was too preoccupied with the same conflict that had been consuming his thoughts all day.

 _Slytherin, or not Slytherin._

Merlin only barely stopped himself from groaning aloud. This was ridiculous. He had been going over the pros and cons for almost a year, and he still hadn't decided. He had never had so much trouble with what house he wanted before, so why was this time different?

Suddenly, the sound of clapping filled Merlin's ears, and he realized that the sorting hat had finished it's song. Sure enough, McGonagall began calling out names.

"Belby, Marcus."

A minute later, the hat proclaimed, "RAVENCLAW."

"Bell, Katie."

The hat sat on her head for a only a few seconds before calling out, "GRYFFINDOR!"

"Carmichael, Eddie."

"RAVENCLAW."

"Collins, Arthur."

Merlin's attention snapped towards the sorting against his will, as it always did when he heard the name Arthur. He was disappointed to find it was only the Malfoy-esque boy from before, and probably would have stopped paying attention, were it not for the whispers.

"Collins? Did she really say Collins?"

"The Minister's son is at Hogwarts already?"

"Don't you read the paper? It was on the front page."

Merlin watched as Arthur swaggered up to the stool, and before it was even placed on his head, the hat called out, "GRYFFINDOR"

Well, that was one house out.

Arthur seemed to bask in the cheers coming from the Gryffindor table as he made his way there arrogantly. Merlin glanced up at the head table. Dumbledore didn't look particularly pleased at Arthur's attitude, nor did any of the other teachers, especially...was that Snape? Merlin cursed internally. Having the man here at Hogwarts could potentially cause problems. What had Dumbledore been thinking, hiring Severus? The man hated children.

"Emrys, Merlin."

Merlin jumped when he heard his name called. He made his way up to the stool, and took a deep breath before the hat landed on his head.

'Hello, young warlock.' The hat's voice spoke in his mind, and Merlin rolled his eyes.

'Are you ever going to stop calling me that, Kilgharrah?' Merlin asked, slightly amused. 'I would have thought that you would have gotten tired of it after a few centuries.'

'No.' Kilgharrah responded, 'What gets tiring is you not allowing me to place you where you belong.'

'I told you, I had to end up in Slytherin last time, no matter how much you wanted me to be a Ravenclaw. It was my duty. So what if I died young?'

Kilgharrah growled, but it was only an echo of his former mighty roar. 'You're lucky I allowed that sorting to occur.' He said. 'However this time, I believe it is time for a change. I do believe you've never been a lion?'

'Please no.' Merlin thought. 'Not Gryffindor.'

'I am afraid, young warlock, you do not have a choice.' Kilgharrah said, and Merlin noted that he didn't sound particularly sorry. 'Destiny says it must be so.'

'You know how I feel about that word-'

'Make sure you come and visit. I do miss having meaningful conversations.'

'Kilgharrah-'

"GRYFFINDOR"

 _Well_ , Merlin thought as he walked towards the cheering Gryffindor table where the condescending son of the Minister of Magic sat (and purposely avoiding looking at the Slytherin table where he knew Mike sat), _it was certainly going to be an interesting seven years._


	2. Chapter 2

Ummm...welll...I'm back? Sorry, real life and stress decided to get in the way of writing. I'm hoping that I'm back for good now, but who knows. I'm hoping for more regular updates, check my profile for updated information on story updates regularly, because if I have a chapter done, I'll put the post date on my profile. Thanks so much for sticking with this story! I almost ended the chapter a scene earlier, but decided that considering how late this update is, that would be mean.

 **Note: The plot will not continue to progress at the rate that this chapter does. This chapter is an anomaly in this way, one which will be explained most likely in the next chapter, and if not, in the ones after that.**

 ** _Disclaimer:_** _I don't own Merlin or Harry Potter. If I did, Merlin would get a lot more hugs and many more characters would have gotten their happy endings._

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An interesting few years at Hogwarts.

That might just be the grossest understatement of the century. Or at least, one of them.

At breakfast that morning, Merlin promised himself that if the rest of his years at Hogwarts went the way the first two months of his first year was going so far, he would never forgive Kilgharrah for this. Ever. No matter what "destiny" Kilgharrah believed he was meant to fulfill in this life, living in the same dorm as Arthur Collins was making him slightly homicidal. And it had been less than two months.

Life as a Gryffindor was almost okay. Yes, there was a little too much acting and not enough thinking. Yes, it was a little on the loud side. Yes, it reminded him a little too much of Camelot and the knights for him to be completely comfortable. But it was warm, homey, and lighthearted, and Merlin would not have been opposed to that.

If it weren't for Collins and his "friends".

They were insufferable. Completely insufferable. And the more time that went on, the more Merlin was positive he hadn't been wrong to compare Arthur to a Malfoy. Because besides being on different sides of the last war, Arthur Collins acted exactly as Merlin had always known a Malfoy to act.

Most of Gryffindor was completely enamored with him. All because he was the Minister's son. Merlin just sighed and rose from his seat. If he sat around any longer, he risked being late to Severus' class. And that would be a minor calamity.

As Merlin walked out, he could feel eyes on him from the Slytherin table. He had to suppress another sigh. He knew Mike was upset about the sorting. Merlin could honestly say he was too. He just wanted to be able to _talk_ to Mike about it, as opposed to the two of them just watching each other from across the hall. Honestly, it wasn't as if either of them had many friends, so why were they making themselves miserable because of house loyalties? Merlin resolved that he would talk to Mike as soon as he could. As loathe as he was to admit it, he missed his friend.

It was at that moment, as Merlin stepped into the Entrance Hall, that Merlin heard the cruel laughter. He looked around the hall, until he saw where it was coming. And Merlin wasn't sure why he was so surprised.

Arthur and the other first year Gryffindors, as well as a few of the older ones, were standing around a small, first year Hufflepuff, presumably making fun of him. Merlin shook his head. As he was walking towards Arthur and his followers, Arthur looked up and made eye contact with Merlin. Merlin froze as a memory washed over him.

" _This'll teach him." Arthur had said, watching Morris run around moving the target. The knights were all cheering for Arthur to teach the servant, and Merlin had just watched in disgust as Arthur threw a dagger at the target Morris was moving._

" _Hey! Hang on!" Morris had called out._

" _Don't stop!" Arthur had commanded._

 _Morris took a few steps back. "Here?"_

" _I told you to keep moving!" Arthur shouted as he threw another dagger. "Come on! Run!"_

 _Morris continued to struggle carrying the target as Arthur made comments until finally, Morris dropped the target and it rolled to Merlin's feet._

Just then, the first year, who had apparently pulled out his wand at some point, dropped it as he fell to the ground. It rolled towards Merlin and, in a daze, he picked it up and looked towards Arthur. "C'mon Collins, haven't you given this kid enough of a hard time?"

" _Hey, come on, that's enough."_

The crowd of people that had gathered went silent as Arthur just looked at Merlin. "What did you just say to me?"

" _What?"_

"You heard me. You've had your fun, now just let the kid go." Merlin said, hearing echoes from long ago with every word he spoke.

 _You've had your fun, my friend._

"Who are you?"

 _Do I know you?_

"I'm Merlin...Merlin Emrys?" Merlin said in as much disbelief as he could manage through his fog. "We share a dorm."

 _Er, I'm Merlin._

"Do we really?" Arthur said in curiosity, looking to his friends, who shrugged.

 _So I don't know you._

"Unfortunately, yes."

"What makes you think that you can tell me what to do, Emrys? It's not as if we're friends."

Merlin just gave him a look. "Yes, I suppose that was my mistake."

 _That was my mistake._

"It was. And I would appreciate if it wouldn't happen again."

 _Yes, I think so._

"It won't happen again. After all, I would never be friends with someone who is such an arse." Merlin smirked.

 _Yeah. I'd never have a friend who could be such an ass._

Everyone gasped, and Arthur narrowed his eyes. "And I would never have a friend stupid enough to pick a fight with the Minister's son."

 _Or I one who could be so stupid._

Merlin couldn't breathe. His memory was blurring with reality, and he could barely think. The pressure inside his head was rising. He knew Arthur was still talking, rattling on about something, but Merlin had no idea what it was.

 _Tell me, Merlin, do you know how to walk on your knees?_

Suddenly, several things happened at once. Arthur, bored with Merlin turned back to hit the Hufflepuff in the face, and as soon as he did, Merlin's magic exploded. The ground shook slightly, the windows rattled, and a strong wind blew through the air. As soon as the magic was expelled, the pressure in Merlin's head disappeared, and he was able to get his magic under control. But it was too late; everyone in the hall had witnessed his haywire magic.

Just as Merlin was trying to decide how he could possibly explain this away, Professor McGonagall walked in and narrowed her eyes at Merlin and Arthur. She took in the rest of the scene before focusing in on Arthur. "Mr. Collins, my office, now. The rest of you, scatter."

Everyone began quickly walking away, but Merlin stayed routed to the spot. McGonagall turned and looked at him calculatingly. Merlin tried to think of something, _anything_ , he could say, but his mind was stuck on what had just happened, so much, in fact, that he barely registered Arthur's glare and McGonagall's firm, "And I will be speaking to you later, Mr. Emrys."

Merlin watched them leave. He hadn't thought of the first meeting between him and Arthur in years. It hadn't been the greatest meeting, and they had just been so young: Merlin had been only sixteen with Arthur a mere two years older. Suppressing their first meeting hadn't been particularly difficult when they had shared so many memories, with their bond being more than brothers. The memory had brought with it a pang of nostalgia, a burning desire to go back to Camelot, one stronger than he had felt in years. At the same time, it was dulled, muted, and Merlin felt a glimmer of hope for the first time in almost too long.

Kilgharrah's comments about destiny made sense now, and Merlin grinned as he realized maybe being a Gryffindor wouldn't be as bad as he had expected. He felt a pang of sadness at the fact that Arthur didn't remember anything, and a breathtaking fear at what this meant for the wizarding world for the next couple of years. But it didn't matter, not now when Merlin was happier than he had been in years.

Arthur, _his Arthur_ , was back.

And, Merlin realized suddenly, he was going to be late for potions. Shit.

* * *

Snape's class had been only marginally more unpleasant than usual, and Merlin thanked his lucky stars that he was one of the Gryffindors that Snape had decided was 'barely competent.' Defense would have been okay, but, like usual, Professor Cornwallis proved himself to be utterly incompetent. It wasn't until Flitwick's class, after lunch, that Merlin's day took an interesting turn.

For one, Flitwick had obviously heard about Merlin's magical explosion. The entire class, he was bouncing between thoughtfulness, curiosity, and extreme excitement every time he glanced at Merlin. This happened to be quite a lot, as Merlin was sure that in the entire time they were practicing _Wingardium Leviosa_ , Flitwick was studying him for at least half of it. The other interesting part of the class was what, or rather who, Flitwick was studying for the other half the class.

Arthur had returned from wherever he had been (Merlin was betting Dumbledore's office) during lunch. Merlin hadn't heard much about it, but from what he did hear, apparently Arthur's bullying had gone so far as to be noticed by Dumbledore and McGonagall, and that the meeting had resulted in the Minister coming to Hogwarts. Merlin supposed that while it might explain why Arthur was not throwing a fit, it did not necessarily explain why Arthur seemed angrily resigned.

Merlin had spent the bulk of his morning comparing Arthur Collins to Arthur Pendragon. Once he really put the two of them side by side, he was surprised that he hadn't noticed the similarities sooner. Both raised by a father in a position of power, this Arthur had the same attitude towards students he saw as being less than him as he had towards those he viewed as lesser than him long before he had become king. It wasn't only that though; it was hard for Merlin to explain, but they had the same mannerisms, the same expressions, and Merlin bet that if he had known Prince Arthur when he was merely eleven, he would have looked much like he did now.

Arthur was, in essence, the very same person, just without the experiences that made him King Arthur. Merlin had the evidence to prove it. However in this case, he was reacting differently than he logically should be, which meant something else was going on. And Merlin was dying to know what it is. He could almost hear Kilgharrah telling him that 'if it was his destiny to know, he would find out eventually.' Merlin had forgotten how much he could hate destiny.

He had been so concerned with analyzing Arthur without making it obvious that he hadn't noticed that his feather was floating until he heard Professor Flitwick shout out, "Good job, Mr. Emrys! 5 points to Gryffindor."

Merlin paid attention after that.

But it was the end of the lesson when the truly interesting (and dreaded) thing happened. Merlin was told to go see Professor Dumbledore after dinner. He had been expecting it, true, but that didn't make him any happier about it.

Merlin spent dinner trying to come up with an excuse for the Headmaster, however he kept getting distracted. First, there was the piercing look he was receiving from Mike. Merlin tried to ignore it, but wasn't able to, and wondered if maybe the explosive events of the morning would finally convince Mike to talk to him, if only there was to assuage his own curiosity. Merlin could only hope, because Merlin was kind of lonely, since he hadn't wanted to make friends with most of his housemates, many of whom were Arthur's sycophants.

Speaking of Arthur, whenever Merlin turned away from Mike, he caught Arthur's eyes on him. Merlin had no idea why; Arthur looked away as soon as Merlin noticed him. Arthur didn't seem to remember him, so Merlin spent several minutes trying to decipher the looks. However he soon realized that dinner was going to be ending soon, so he looked down at the table and tried to prepare himself for his impending meeting with the Headmaster.

The last time Merlin had seen Dumbledore was probably his most recent Hogwarts graduation. The man had seemed to just _know_ that there was more to Merlin than he could see. He also seemed to know that Merlin was the one sending him the anonymous tips about Death Eater attacks. Yes, if he had learned anything in his last life, it was that Dumbledore often knew more than Merlin would like him to.

The question was, what should he say? He couldn't exactly say _Hi Headmaster. So um, I'm actually the reincarnated Merlin, like the original one with King Arthur_ and _the one who attended Hogwarts. I just found out that I'm not the only one that's back, Arthur is too, but I have no idea who else is. Oh, by the way, did I mention that this bodes terribly for the Wizarding World since Arthur was fated to return in the world's greatest time of need? And yeah sure I'd love a lemon drop._

Well, he supposed he could say that, but it would probably get him a one way ticket to St. Mungo's for examination. And while worse things had certainly happened to him in his lifetimes, getting thrown in St. Mungo's now that Arthur was finally back would be awful. But how else could he explain the power he had, the power which was a mix of traditional magic and that of the Old Religion, which was still illegal? Merlin needed Dumbledore's trust for the future, but how to gain it with what had to be a lie? And what lie could he possibly tell that Dumbledore would believe?

He supposed that, if it came down to it, he could just play dumb and hope that Dumbledore didn't press the issue. And seeing as both Dumbledore and McGonagall had just risen from the table, with the former heading out of the hall by way of the staff entrance behind the head table while the latter walked towards the end of the Gryffindor table where he was sitting, Merlin figured that he had run out of time to come up with a better idea. With a sigh, he rose from the Gryffindor table as Professor McGonagall stopped behind him.

"Mr. Emrys, if you'll follow me." Professor McGonagall said. Merlin simply nodded, and fell into step behind her.

The walk to the Headmaster's office was not a terribly long one, but Merlin spent it re-familiarizing himself with the way. Despite how many times he had gone to Hogwarts, the last time he had been to the Headmaster's office was when he had been in school with the reincarnations of Mordred and Morgana, the Le Fey twins, Medraut and Morgan. Before that, it had been when he had spent time with the Founders in his first life.

When they arrived at the gargoyle guarding the Headmaster's Office, after a fair amount of calculating, almost Slytherin looks that McGonagall shot towards Merlin, the Deputy Headmistress just looked at Merlin for a moment before her features almost appeared to soften. "There's nothing to worry about, Mr. Emrys. The Headmaster knows what really happens. He'd just like to speak to you."

"Thank you Professor."

McGonagall nodded, and turned to address the gargoyle. "Rastons."

With that, the door to Dumbledore's office opened up, and Merlin couldn't help but laugh at McGonagall's retreating form as he heard her muttering about senile old men and unknown sweets. He quickly sobered. This moment was a big one, one that he couldn't afford to screw up. This was his second chance to do right by Arthur, and he refused to mess up this time. So with a deep breath, Merlin stepped inside and ascended the spiral staircase.

Upon arriving in the office itself, Merlin was struck by the realization that his head of house may have been on to something with her mutterings about senile old men. The entire office was covered in random magical devices, some of them Merlin was familiar with, and some he wasn't. But there were so many of them, that Merlin couldn't see how any man could keep them straight. There were shelves and cabinets full of books, many of which Merlin was sure would still go over his head, despite his millennium of magical learning. With a sudden pang, Merlin realized it reminded him of Gaius' quarters.

"Hello Merlin." Dumbledore said with his eyes twinkling. Merlin jumped a bit, and turned to face the man, who Merlin had somehow not realized was sitting behind his desk. The headmaster gestured to the seat in front of him. "Please sit. Would you like a lemon drop?"

Merlin struggled to hold back a laugh at the offer of the sweet. During his previous school days, it had been rumored that Dumbledore offered a lemon drop to everyone who came to his office. It seemed that the rumor had some truth to it. "Yes, thank you, headmaster."

Taking the lemon drop, Merlin sat down and waited for Dumbledore to speak. However when Dumbledore finally spoke, it was not about the confrontation between him and Arthur, nor about the extreme amount of magic he had let off.

"Tell me Merlin, have you ever heard of the Battle of Camlann?" Dumbledore asked, the lightness of the question contrasted with the scrutiny in his eyes. Merlin nearly choked on his lemon drop as soon as he heard the word 'Camlann'. What in the world could Dumbledore know about that? Apparently his reaction showed on his face. "Ah, I see that you have. Most wizards are not familiar with it, as they are not terribly interested in King Arthur's exploits, instead being fascinated by the wizard he had helping him as well as his later incarnation, but I have always found the non magical king fascinating."

"Is that so, sir?" Merlin managed to choke out.

"Yes, for example, did you know that he was an absolute terror as a young boy, tormenting those he viewed as less than him until he was eighteen? It was only after a young man, living with the court physician, saved his life that Arthur began turning into the king that he is remembered as today. They became the greatest of friends, the Prince, later King, of Camelot, and his new manservant. Can you guess who the servant was?"

"Merlin." He whispered. He had no idea what was going on. Why was Dumbledore bringing up Arthur? Did he know? How could he though? Arthur had shown no sign of recognition, so it couldn't be because of that. Was Merlin really that transparent?

"It was." Professor Dumbledore said with a sad smile. "I don't think there has ever been a servant as loyal to his master as Merlin was to Arthur. Even then, magic wasn't accepted, but Merlin regularly risked his life to protect Arthur. When Arthur died, many believe it destroyed Merlin. The loss of his King, Master, Friend, and Other Half, while he was powerless to change it, must have been devastating seeing as they were so close. Especially as it is believed that Merlin is doomed to be continuously reincarnated, alone, until he and Arthur are called upon to complete their destiny."

"How...how do you know this?" Merlin managed to get out. He was looking down at the ground, barely holding back his tears. Dumbledore wasn't wrong. It may have been a millennium, but he still felt and remembered it like it was yesterday. And the loss of his dearest friend still hurt.

"Oh, my boy, there was a time when you believed I knew everything." Dumbledore said sadly. Merlin looked up at him in confusion. "However, even after all of these years, I think it would be more accurate to say that I just know you and Arthur quite well."

For several moments, Merlin just sat there. His confusion rapidly turned into disbelief which became hope, wonder, and happiness the longer he looked at the older wizard sitting across from him. Finally, he got his mouth to work.

"Gaius?"


	3. Chapter 3

So I know it's been a while, like a very long while, but here's chapter three! I know it's been much longer than I told all of you to expect, and I cannot promise regular updates, but hopefully, they will stop coming almost a year apart.

I'm not entirely happy with this chapter; it's largely dialogue based, and very little action/description. Chapters after this will be more balanced, and starting next chapter the interactions between Merlin and Arthur will start.

 _ **Disclaimer:** I still don't own Merlin or the Harry Potter series._

* * *

" _How...how do you know this?" Merlin managed to get out. He was looking down at the ground, barely holding back his tears. Dumbledore wasn't wrong. It may have been a millennium, but he still felt and remembered it like it was yesterday. And the loss of his dearest friend still hurt._

" _Oh, my boy, there was a time when you believed I knew everything." Dumbledore said sadly. Merlin looked up at him in confusion. "However, even after all of these years, I think it would be more accurate to say that I just know you and Arthur quite well."_

 _For several moments, Merlin just sat there. His confusion rapidly turned into disbelief which became hope, wonder, and happiness the longer he looked at the older wizard sitting across from him. Finally, he got his mouth to work._

" _Gaius?"_

* * *

Merlin just stared at the older wizard in shock as he nodded. "But...how? And you remember? You remember everything from Camelot?"

"Well I dare say not everything, but just about." Dumbledore, _Gaius_ , chuckled. "As for how, well, I'm not exactly clear on the particulars. I dare say you'd have a better idea than me."

Merlin grinned sheepishly at the Headmaster's raised eyebrow. "Well, I do have some thoughts. But I won't be able to confirm them until I needle Kilgharrah for more information."

The eyebrow raised even higher. "Kilgharrah?"

"Wait you mean you don't know?" Merlin asked with a wide grin. At the continued look of confusion, he elaborated, his grin turning to a smirk. "The sorting hat. Kilgharrah is the sorting hat."

At this, a look Merlin was very familiar with made its way onto his mentor's face. While the exasperated and inquiring but fond expression had formerly made Merlin squirm, now it just filled him with happiness. It really was Gaius. No one else, in his 1,200 years of lifetimes, had ever been able to pull off a look completely like it. And it was absolutely as effective as it had always been.

"It's a long story." Merlin stated. The look did not abate. "And apparently it's one I'm going to tell."

"After Arthur...well, after everything that happened, I couldn't stay in Camelot permanently, especially not after you died. I stayed only long enough to see the ban on magic lifted, and then I left. When I told Gwen I was leaving, she understood, and asked Leon and Percival if they would like to stay or leave with me. Leon stayed. He said Arthur would never forgive him if he left Gwen alone. Percival left, for a similar reason, or so he said. He said Arthur would never forgive him if I was left alone."

"Why do you doubt his reason?"

"I don't think he was lying." Merlin was quick to say. "But he was never the same. I mean, none of us were. But Percival...he came with Lancelot, who died for Arthur. He was there when Gwaine died, thinking his last breaths were spent betraying his King. It changed him. And I think he just couldn't bare to live in a Camelot where magic was restored and the land was alive, but those who fought for it were gone."

"Like you." The headmaster's blue eyes were piercing, and Merlin nodded, finding a lump suddenly in his throat.

"Like me." He confirmed, quiet for a moment as the memories threatened to overcome him. "So anyway, we left. We traveled through neighboring kingdoms, escorting any endangered sorcerers or others we found to Camelot's borders, where they would be safe. We visited several magical communities and sites. Kilgharrah joined us at Stonehenge. We went to Scotland, and walked in on an execution. Percival died saving the young man and fighting off the townspeople. I found out soon after that the man was a wizard by the name of Salazar Slytherin."

Merlin heard the gasp, but kept going. "Sal and I travelled together, joined by Kilgharrah, whose body and magic was beginning to break down. We met Godric next, and then Row and Helga, and the four of them, joined somewhat by me, created Hogwarts. As we all got old and needed a way to sort the students, Kilgharrah's condition continued to get worse and worse, but his mental capacities remained. So, using a spell I remembered from my travels with Percival, I transferred his conscience into the hat."

Merlin just watched with some amusement as his mentor just looked at him in disbelief. The longer they sat, the wider Merlin's grin got, until he couldn't contain his laughter anymore. Disbelief turned into fond exasperation, and then both of them were laughing, and it was the lightest Merlin had felt in too long.

"Where is the hat anyway-" Merlin started before abruptly cutting himself off. "Wait, what do I even call you? Gaius? Dumbledore? Something else?"

"Whatever you want, my boy, as long as we are alone. It's actually quite strange, feeling such a strong connection to two different names and lives." Dumbledore said. "I just ask that when there is a danger of being overheard, we stick to names from this time."

"Of course. And believe me, I know." Merlin said with a sigh. "Imagine that a couple dozen times over."

"Merlin, it seems that destiny never has given you a break."

"No it hasn't." Merlin said sadly, before growing determined. "I screwed up last time. I got too involved in destiny and stopped caring about people. But not this time. This is my second chance. And this this time, I'm doing it my way."

Dumbledore had a fond look on his face. "I've missed you, Merlin."

"And I you. More than you could possibly understand."

"I don't doubt it. And however happy I am to be back, I am quite apprehensive of what this means for the impending future." Dumbledore said gravely. "I presume that Arthur Collins is indeed our Arthur."

"Yeah. He is." Merlin said, with a disbelieving smile. "After all this time, he's back. I can't believe it."

"Think Merlin. Arthur is alive. Harry Potter will be at Hogwarts next year. Lord Voldemort-"

"Is not dead." There was a sudden amount of steel to Merlin's voice, and he could tell that Dumbledore was slightly surprised. "I am all too intimately familiar with that fact. But we're getting off topic. I need to talk to Kilgharrah."

Dumbledore gave him a searching look before nodding. "He's on that shelf right over there."

"Thank you." Merlin said, and began to rise to grab the sorting hat.

"Don't bother, young warlock. I am perfectly capable of speaking from here." Kilgharrah said. "And what is this about needing to confirm with me? You know perfectly well why Gaius is back, and the rest are likely to be back."

"So it worked then?" Merlin asked with a grin, completely disregarding Kilgharrah's irritated tone. "They'll all be back?"

"It appears so. It seems your foolishness paid off this time." Kilgharrah said, seeming as if it pained him to say it. He addressed the headmaster. "I'm glad that you're back. As much as I may not have liked you back then, you were actually able to control this boy, which I have learned is no small feat."

Dumbledore stared at the hat for a moment before turning to Merlin. "What did you do, Merlin?"

"What do you mean what did I do? Why are you just assuming that I did something awful?" Merlin protested, trying not to squirm. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, and Merlin smiled sheepishly. "Okay so nothing I did was that horrible and it all worked out okay in the end."

Kilgharrah scoffed. "Don't believe him. He-"

Merlin's eyes flashed warningly as he nearly growled. "Kilgharrah."

Kilgharrah ignored him. "-performed a ritual. A dangerous one. That's why you're back, and I'm assuming the others as well. And that barely scratches the surface of all the completely idiotic things that he's done in the last 1,200 years. Not to mention-"

"Enough." Merlin said, the word, though spoken quietly, coated with power and his eyes tinted gold. "I made the choices I needed to in order to succeed this time. And becoming a Death Eater was a calculated risk, you knew that and you _agreed_ so-"

"You're right." Kilgharrah interrupted suddenly. "Some things are better kept unsaid for the time being. There are things that must happen, and in order for those things to happen, certain things need to remain a secret. Namely, your most recent life and Arthur's return."

Merlin studied the hat for a moment. He remembered Kilgharrah's warnings about so many things, and how muddled things had gotten. He didn't know if he could go through that again.

"Young warlock," Part of Merlin noted that this was the gentlest that Kilgharrah had sounded since _that day_. "Your destiny is not the only one at work in this time."

"Harry Potter." Dumbledore stated, and Merlin turned to look at him. "I have my own secrets, dear boy, and they too must remain so for the time being. But I can say that I believe your destiny, and Arthur's, to be entwined in that of young Harry's."

Merlin sighed, stood up, and began to pace. "Alright, so my life and Arthur's return must be kept secret. It's probably a good idea, considering that if the wrong people found out, we would all be dead in no time. But there's one problem. Arthur doesn't seem to remember."

"He doesn't." The headmaster confirmed gravely, eyes following Merlin. "He was in here earlier today and there were no signs that your revelation went both ways."

"So what do we do? Even if I did tell Arthur, he would never believe me. I'd be in St. Mungo's before I could sneeze! He's the minister's son!"

"He is." Dumbledore said with a knowing smile. "And last time, he was the King's son. And that didn't stop you, even with the secrets you kept."

"That was pure luck." Merlin argued. "If it hadn't been for Uther deciding to make me Arthur's manservant, nothing would have come to pass."

"Well it seems that the role of Arthur's father in your destiny will forever be to push the two of you together." Dumbledore said, and Merlin stopped pacing to stare at him with wide eyes. "The Minister was here earlier, and, after hearing about his son's bullying and dismal grades, has requested that the student who stood up to him become his tutor and, hopefully his friend."

"The rest of those who have returned will reveal themselves with time." Kilgharrah added. "Once you've found them all, you can figure out how to restore their memories of Camelot. But be careful, young warlock, enemies from both Camelot and the present cannot find out. It would be tragic."

"No. This will not end in tragedy this time." Merlin said with determination. "We will succeed."

"I'm sure you will." Dumbledore said with a fond smile. "Just don't rush into it. Be patient. This is likely to take years."

"Well," Merlin said with a grin. "I've waited over a thousand years for this...I suppose I'll be able to wait a few more."

Dumbledore laughed. "I suppose you can. But in the meantime, we still have much to discuss. After your magical explosion later today, the two of us will be having weekly 'lessons' in order to teach you to control your excess magic when your emotions are highly charged."

"Well, that's certainly a better cover than me spending all of my free time in the tavern." Merlin said with a hint of w. "Arthur never did let me live that down."

"No he didn't, did he?" Dumbledore said. The two remained in a comfortable silence for several minutes, until Dumbledore rose. "Well as much as I have enjoyed catching up, it is late, and we both have things to do tomorrow morning. You should also probably speak to Arthur before going to bed."

"I should." Merlin said. "I suppose my destiny is calling."

"Well," Dumbledore said, "You'd better go see what it wants."

Merlin hesitated for a second before leaving, and just looked at the headmaster for a moment, before walking over and wrapping him in a hug. "I'm glad you're alive again, Gaius."

"As am I, Merlin, as am I." With that, the two wizards departed, one towards his bedroom in another room, and the other for Gryffindor tower. Neither heard Kilgharrah's final words.

"I do hope you succeed this time, young warlock. The fate of the world itself depends on it."


End file.
